Episode 1499 (9th June 1975)
Plot Emily is infuriated by Ernie's pompousness and sexism with regards to him being put on the WARP committee over her. Harry Goulden tells the Bishops that the council didn't even discuss the rates at the latest finance meeting but he's discovered that they're sending Councillor Lucas, the finance chairman, to a conference in Torquay, out of the rates, in the mayoral Rolls. Ken enjoys cabbing but everyone thinks he's putting a brave face on. Ernie and Harry demand that Len put a stop to the Torquay trip as he's on the finance committee. Len refuses to discuss the trip as it's not public knowledge and tells them they're a joke. Ernie gathers the residents in the Rovers promising them a fight. When Len arrives, Ernie tries to get him to repeat his earlier comments on tape - unless it was off the record. Len smashes the machine, causing Ernie to call him Hitler and go for him. Len pushes Ernie to the floor. Lucas calls off his trip to Torquay when he hears of the hassle. Len vows to resign if he can't get Lucas to change his mind. Emily hopes that Len will quit because of his behaviour during the Douglas Wormold development. The Town Hall refuses to accept Len's resignation and instead ask him to go to Torquay in Lucas's place. Cast Regular cast *Bet Lynch - Julie Goodyear *Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander *Betty Turpin - Betty Driver *Ernest Bishop - Stephen Hancock *Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Ray Langton - Neville Buswell *Jerry Booth - Graham Haberfield *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens *Rita Littlewood - Barbara Mullaney *Mavis Riley - Thelma Barlow *Blanche Hunt - Maggie Jones *Ken Barlow - William Roache *Alf Roberts - Bryan Mosley Guest cast *Harry Goulden - Barry Lowe Places *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *3 Coronation Street - Back room *9 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway *Corner Shop *The Kabin Notes *This was the final episode to use the 1969 title sequence, the third in the programme's history. *''TV Times'' synopsis: Ernest - of all people - is goaded into violence. *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 5,926,000 homes (9th place), however this figure includes 410,000 homes in Scotland that were watching the previous episode (see next note). *Due to the 1975 ITV Strike continuing at Scottish Television until Monday 9th June, this episode was transmitted in the programme's usual slot on Wednesday 11th June, gaining another 530,000 homes watching, and the episode that the rest of the country saw at that time (Episode 1500) was transmitted by STV on Thursday 12th June at 6.30pm, enabling viewers in the region to catch up with the rest of the country. Episodes 1497 and 1498 had been transmitted at 5.30pm and 7.30pm respectively on 9th June. In the Border Television region, this episode was transmitted on Wednesday 11th June in the programme's usual 7.30pm timeslot and the episode seen by the rest of the country that night, Episode 1500, was transmitted on Thursday 12th June, also at 7.30pm. This was due to a dispute at the station which began on Thursday 5th June when staff received a management letter saying they would not be paid for the former strike period when a national agreement with the ACTT had said otherwise. Staff returned to work on Tuesday 10th June. During the same period there were technical problems in the same region with a burnt-out component affecting viewers in the Solway area who received pictures from the Caldbeck transmitter which consequently was only running on quarter power. Notable dialogue Blanche Hunt: “D'you know, persuading folk round 'ere to put pen to paper is like tryin' to get the sun to shine in Oldham.” Category:1975 episodes Category:Episodes outside of broadcast patterns